Dedication Through Hymmnos
by Wrathie Winsre
Summary: A story dedicated to Cocona and the different heroines, her struggles of being a heroine and not being a heroine at the same time.  It's hard to play matchmaker after all!
1. Chapter 1

**Dedication Through Hymmnos**

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**written by: wrathie**

**Original Concept: Gust & Branpresto**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: A Casual One-shot(?) for AT III. I originally wanted to have the title in Hymmnos, but I can't manage it. While playing the game, the phrase: HE IS NOT EMIYA SHIROU, keep popping in...<strong>

**Aoto does not have UBW, so he is not as gar.**

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It would be an understatement to say that Saki, an endless optimistic girl decked out in a pinkish sundress liked the boy named Aoto, a steeplejack who is wearing a ridiculously red outfit topped off with white hair. 3

If anyone, anyone at all would to spend one day with the group that has been pursued from Eternus Shaft, Archia to Claustania, mostly due to Saki being a wanted person, they would label them as husband and wife.

Such was their obvious liking for each other, made worst when Aoto spend so much time with her even at night, that the other members of the group had long became accustomed to it.

The only person that seemed to be upset about it is of course, the other heroine in the story, Finnel, the endlessly pessimistic girl in a blue and white outfit of her own customization. She has, unfortunately, not been able to make much leeway in increasing their relationship points together.

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Yes, they had moments together... yes, Aoto has always been quick and selfless in his protection of her. He was the first person to stand up for her, to back her up besides her good friend Akane.

But that was all there was to it, there had been nothing special beside the 'Master and Servant' relationship that they had.

It was enough for her to pull and chew at her pillow in frustration.

The other members of the party or entourage, Cocona, Hikari Gojo and Tyria simply closed one eye to the increasing and hidden tension between Finnel and Aoto's relationship with Saki.

It was not that they were not worried, but they simply did not want to intervene with something that might blow up in their faces...

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For Hikari Gojo, or sensei as he is affectionately known to the group, his expert opinion, both as a doctor, a senior to everyone else and finally, as a person who is engaged, is that he should not get involved.

Matters of the heart cannot be simply explained by logical arguments or by analysing the interactions between the party.

The heart, houses unlimited possibilities and equations for anyone to figure out the formula for love.

Besides, he has his own worries to worry about.

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For Cocona, a 16(?) year old girl, also formerly known as XXXXX, and a good friend of Aoto, this kind of situation was all too familiar to her as she had witnessed first hand what happened with Cro and the two holy maidens from where she had came from.

The situation here was perhaps a little better as 'Cro', a name she called her adopted big brother, was totally a blockhead and dense as heck.

She once believed that he would not recognize romance unless the girl printed the words on her shirt while confessing to him about it... but that was proved wrong, sort of anyway in the end...

But the reason the situation here was better was that at least Aoto was shamelessly behaving like a boy his age, that is, all perverted while liking to hit on girls.

That and he is not ashamed of showing the close bond he shared with Saki. Yes, he would jump in and defend her too as she was an important friend of his, but it wouldn't be the same as how he defended Saki... or in some aspect, Finnel.

That was one reason, she decided, that allowed Finnel to have a little bit of hope about her chances.

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That, was the main reason that Aoto was making it difficult for himself as well... he was like a weaker version of her Cro, in that he still cannot stop defending those girls that had an affection for him with all his heart... but at the same time showing favouritism for just one of them.

'... Aoto is so boo...'

She muttered as she prepared to rest for the night, closing the room's door after seeing Aoto make her way into Saki's room in the Eulark Inn.

With her was a surprise guest, Tyria.

Tyria was the third Origin Reyvateil and the newest member of the entourage... as an origin who has been sleeping for so many years, she has developed a weird and blunt personality that more than once had caused her to be reminded of Mir...

'Is there something the matter about Aoto?'

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But she, like many of the girls that had been around Cro when she was travelling with him, had developed small, subtle feelings of affection for the boy in the center of this crisis.

Yes, she had not known that she would be dragged into another ridiculous mess to decide Ar Ceil's fate so soon after the last disaster that rocked her world.

But now that she had, she was still surprised to this day that the center of the story was Aoto, a boy she had met a month after coming to this new tower. He had seemed so unreliable and hot blooded and so different from her Cro that she could not imagine him being a 'hero'.

Guess there are many different kinds of heroes after all... his stubbornness, hot-bloodedness, rashness but pure feelings for the things he viewed as wrong had touched her immensely and had been a source of strength for her in times of crisis.

'No, he's in Saki's room again, Tyria-san. Speaking of which... he had visited your room frequently after you joined us, desho?'

Smiling, she spotted the look of surprise in her eyes as she laid down on her bed. They were both girls, so it was easier for them to talk about things like this.

She did do the same with Cloche-sama and Luca-san when travelling with Cro too~

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'I was the one who barged into his room that first night. I was keen to know more about the things of this world. Is it bad for me to do so?'

Tilting her head, Cocona smiled at the way she tried to explain why she did that and Tyria caught on almost immediately.

'What is with that all-knowing smile, Cocona. Are you depicting and summarizing my actions in your mind? If so, I demand that you seize and desist immediately.'

Throwing a little temper, Cocona appeased the Original Reyvateil by saying she was not doing that.

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'It is just that, don't you feel that Aoto is really really very close to Saki-chan?'

'... that I have to agree. The time they spent together far exceeds the time he spends with the two of us combined.'

'Ahaha~ I'm not complaining too much about that, but what about you, Tyria-san?'

'Me? Why would I be concerned about that...'

Cocona simply shrugged and turned her body so that she could look at the Reyvateil Origin with a straight face.

'Well, I do know that Finnel is upset about that... but what about you?'

'... I do not care either way. But I do admit that I would miss the things he can teach me.'

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There was a slight pause in the way she admitted the last sentence and Cocona sighed. Looks like this was going to be a triangle all over again. The world sure works in odd ways...

'I think, Tyria-san would just miss Aoto diving into your Binary Field, Desho?'

The reaction she got from Tyria reminded her of the time Cro had dived into Jacqli and the subsequent development of her interest in him.

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It was the same cycle all over again and Cocona felt a growing headache at the possible developments in the near future if Aoto does not make a stand soon.

Still, she was certain that the group can handle any possible fall out reasonably well.

Each of them have gained something in this journey... and although the bond she shared with Aoto was not as strong as the bonds with Aoto, she cannot help but admit that bonds had definitely been build up between her and the group.

Yes, it is hugely different from her previous journey, but she was happy to meet Saki-chan, to learn more about Finnel, to discuss matters with Hikari Gojo sensei that she would normally not been able to and of course, speak with Katene and Tyria and to learn things she would not have at home.

She was grateful for all of that, and that is why she will help to ease the burden for the maidens involved this time.

Luca-san and Cloche-sama's fallout at the start of their journey had taught her to forever cherish the bonds that they had build together.

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Even if they are not aware of it initially, all of them had started to rely on each other.

The two of them on Sensei to provide backup and to watch their back while they do battle with other hostile Antibodies.

Her on Aoto to deal with the physically stronger and larger foes and Aoto on her to intercept and to corner those quicker foes that might hurt the three Reyvateils when they are singing their hymmnos.

It is a delicate chain of friendship and companionship that was born from going through so many adventures together that she did not wish it to break so easily with no warning at all.

'P-perhaps... I would be disappointed if he did not dive into me after all.'

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Cocona sighed, the Reyvateil could not help herself as well after all. It was going to be hard work, but at the least, they were not denying it as venomously as Cloche-sama did initially.

'Even so, Tyria-san... Aoto and Saki-chan had been through a lot together... that means, whatever your expectations are... you have to be ready for the consequences.'

She tried to phrase it as vaguely as she could, Tyria really only showed emotions at the weirdest of times. She had became accustomed to Jaqli-san's erratic behavior and thus it was easy for her to get the measure of this Origin Reyvatiel in comparison to the others.

Thus, besides Aoto, she was her most common companion... with Finnel and Saki taking most of Aoto's time if they were not battling, Sensei with Richa, Tyria had only her to speak to.

'... You are implying something, Cocona. I am unsure if I should know the rest of the conversation.'

Bluntly, she said her thoughts to Cocona and the younger girl simply giggled as she rolled around on the bed, unsure as to whether she should be blunt with her as well.

'well, it all depends on you, Tyria-san. Although I do believe that you and Ar Ru-san have realized that fact deep within your conscious, regardless of you accepting it or not.'

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Winking, she smiled sadly when she remembered that it was the same in her previous journey too. Having to see Cro make a hard decision regarding the three girls he was close to at the end of the journey was hard for her.

It was even harder when Cro said he did not want her to go on her journey...

But it was probably for the best, she really really liked Cro... and he could perhaps be using her as an excuse to not hurt the three girls that obviously mattered so much to the two of them.

If she did not force him to make a decision, who knows what would happen in the future.

It is painful... but it has to be done.

She believed that rather than leaving the hope and longing of the girls to develop further, she would want it to be decided as soon as possible to avoid the pain from having that same growth hurt create a deeper gash in their soul.

All of them had gone through so much. Gained so much strength after sacrificing so much that she reckoned their soulspace was intricately woven with each other...

They depended on each other to comfort, to give everyone strength to be able to tide through the darkest hour.

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It is the same reason that 'betrayal' would hurt so much...

Thus, she had to go, for them and for herself.

Time can heal wounds, but that depends on how deeps those wounds were. The last thing she wanted to do was to make the situation worst by making Cro be slow in his decision.

She was sure Aoto would be unlike Cro, he, at least knew exactly who his affections lie.

It was up to the girls to decide whether it was alright to give him up so easily.

But, perhaps Saki's innocence played an important factor. It is hard for anyone to betray her without feeling a little guilt inside her heart.

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><p>While she was pondering that fact, to her surprise the other personality of Tyria emerged as simply as that, poofing into existence right in front of her.<p>

Cocona shivered without helping it. This personae was known as Ar Ru, or one of the creator/mother of the Antibodies that had plagued Ar Ciel for so long. She had almost wiped out the whole party when they first met her... the minions of Antibody carriers has contributed to that brutal beatdown that almost killed her.

Almost, they had gotten away just in the nick of time..

To think that the innocent little girl with orangey pink hair , purple wings and dressed in a purplish tunic could be so powerful was mindbogglingly...

But then again... she was a Reyvatiel who survived a surprise ambush that would have killed a normal human after all...

And she was part of the entourage responsible for driving back antibodies, which are known as the bane of humanity, defeating many of Claustania and Archian defences up till now... looks can be deceiving indeed. Not mentioning that she had a hand in saving another world before this incident...

**(Note, I believe Reyvatiel are normally sorta, weaker than normal humans in terms of being able to withstand hits. Cocona is... unique)**

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'What are you implying, Cocona.'

Addressing her as if she was a mere child, Cocona let it slide as compared to this devilish loli, she was indeed younger than her and she smiled patiently at her.

'I am not implying anything. I am only ascertaining the facts that you do indeed feel for Aoto, desho?'

The quick flushed face and the resulting spluttering response was all she needed to justify the triumphant smirk on her face as she winked at her.

'Oh, did I make you imply anything too, Ar Ru-chan~'

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**Author's Notes: It got kinda out of hand to be a One shot.. so we'll see what it would end like...**


	2. Implications

_Dedication Through Hymnos_

_Chapter 2: Implications_

**Written by: wrathie**

**Original Concept: Gust & Branpresto**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: If I got a term wrong, please feel free to correct me. I'm still quite new to the AT universe<strong>

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Cocona could only smile as Ar Ru spluttered and turned red, she did wish that the Mother of all Anti-bodies is not so transparent for she to read her like a book.

It was painfully obvious that his attitude towards her, being almost identical to how she treats the other girls in the party, had made her a little curious towards him.

That curiosity was further deepened when he guarded her against attacks during attacks by the anti-bodies or from some of the guards that still continue to harass them

It is perhaps ironic that she was both the most dangerous and yet the one that stood out most from the group, making her a walking target if she was travelling with them.

Personally, she was still a little afraid of this red-haired little girl, she can be likened to a true devil after all, her 'creations' and 'children' did slay many people before she joined their side, sort of.

Thus she could not help but tease her a little, with more power and isolation it seems… that the more naïve they are after all.

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'I mean, I did not explicitly say that you had some affection for Aoto, did I?'

Blinking her eyelashes as innocently as she could manage, Cocona hoped that Croix did not catch her doing this as he would be scandalized at how his sister had grown and matured during her stay here.

She herself found it to be a normal process of growing up, she has to shed that naivety of a young girl early when she lost her siblings and parents after all… and it didn't help that she had to masquerade as a boy for quite some time.

Many atrocities towards people and Reyvatiel alike had been committed in front of her and there was little, if anything she can do but to fight on, in hope that what she was doing would make up for all the things that she did not do.

But now is not the time to reminisce on the future or the past, the present seems to be the more pressing matter.

'I… Why would I feel anything for that blubbering white haired idiot? He forced me to sing for so long just because he couldn't get rid of that Antibody carrier ship!'

She started on a long winded conversation that Cocona realized as denial of the situation and she just smiled mischievously while she was speaking.

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'He's insensitive, rude, have an uncouth mouth as well as being a huge pervert. Why would anyone, except for that other vessel fall in love with him?'

She ended with the same ferocious blush that had taken her face by storm and Cocona found herself linking the image of Cloche-sama over that small girl's face, her smile getting wider every second till she found herself giggling and unable to stop.

'W-why are you laughing at me!'

She raised her voice and viciously tackled her on the bed, causing both girls to fall out of the bed in the resultant scuffle. The two of them were not very close to each other and really, besides Tyria and Aoto who would not be intimidated or bothered by Ar Ru, with her past history as well as her proud demeanor to everyone around her.

Cocona can't say that she liked her very much either, there has to be a part of someone that made them tolerable or likeable, but for Ar Ru, she had to admit that only likeable part about her was that she is part of Tyria, besides her adorable looks of course…

But looks can kill.

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But she has to revise that thought now as Ar Ru was simply too adorable, like a rebellious kitten that she could not help but tease her a little. It shocked her that she would develop such a streak in her, but now she realized why some of the other, more elder girls like to tease Croix, Cloche-sama and Luca-san so much.

For Cro, most of the time he is oblivious to those taunts but not Luca-san, she would go red and flustered for a while… but she remembered vividly that even her, who was a younger girl at the time, found it cute how Cloche-sama would react violently or even in mannerisms that she did not show often, or at all when teased about Cro.

It made her wonder if it was a good thing that so many things, which had not made much sense previously, became known to her in this new journey.

'Noo… I'm not laughing~'

She tried to appease the younger looking girl as she wrestled with her, pushing her away while breaking into smiles as Ar Ru narrowed her eyes and pointed one of her hands at her while accusing her of lying.

Perhaps, she could see a part of herself in Ar Ru too?

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'But Ar Ru, you seemed awfully pleased when Aoto dived into your Binary Field… hmm?'

She smiled mischievously again and was rewarded by Ar Ru being unable to rebut her immediately, which meant her victory as she grinned victoriously at the flabbergasted girl as she hugged her tightly, cooing and petting her head like how Cro would do to her sometimes.

'Awww~ Ar Ru-chan~~ I wonder what your Binary Field is like… Then again, I wonder what Aoto sees in all of your Binary Fields…'

Not for the first time, she became slightly envious of Aoto and Cro being able to enter one's soulsphere while she can't. In a way it's a good thing, she did not want to know people's deepest secrets.

Luca-san is one key example and Cloche-sama… she somehow felt that her image of them would change severely if she ever got to know them as deeply as Cro did…

The girl in her arms struggled to get out of her grip and after a while she allowed her to do so with a bright smile on her face, a victorious one as Ar Ru was left panting and unable to comment from her questions.

'Ar Ru…'

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She crossed her arms and hugged her gently again, knowing that she was THIS close to exploding in rage and possibly killing her.

Or in another end of the spectrum, burst into tears amidst her inability to deny her scrutiny about feelings she had not experienced before in her whole life.

She'd imagine that Jakuri-san, who had spent hundreds of years by herself would have gone through the same emotional trauma when she faced her own feelings about Cro would have handled in a mature fashion befitting her image.

But she was willing to bet that Ar Ru probably didn't have that mental maturity as Jakuri-san did. Jakuri-san was similar to Ar Ru, but at least she had her good points… well, Cro could probably list a long list of it.

So she wanted to comfort the young(?) girl a little before she unleashed her pets to kill her or for her to run away just because she teased her a little.

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'Ar Ru… Listen to me…'

In her best imitation of Luca-san's voice, she gently eased the girl to sit down by her bed again while smiling at the twitchy girl. She did not have training or knowledge on therapy but she could at least do what Luca-san would do if she got upset.

'It's normal… to not admit at the start… Aoto is really not what you can call an attractive person. Hikari Gojo sensei is a much more attractive person than Aoto… Aoto is everything that you describe him to be.'

Cocona suppressed a smile as Ar Ru nodded at her and she was glad that she was settling down a little as she continued.

'He really doesn't have many good traits… but it is those bad traits that saved you, isn't that right Ar Ru?'

Before she could interrupt however, Cocona had continued her explanation.

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'He is stubborn, that's why he was willing to try and dive although it is full of risks instead of waiting for the system to be stabilized a little.

He's uncouth, but isn't that why you took him for an idiot… and not as a threat? Lastly… because he's insensitive, that means he is always truthful… that's why you believed in him, and us… and decided to join us, desho?'

She listed each of his flaws and showed them in a positive light, the way that Ar Ru's heart had probably known for a long time and she felt Ar Ru's body stiffen for a moment before she relaxed too and looked away uncomfortably from her.

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It was important for her to figure out those thoughts by herself through gentle persuasion and she allowed her some time to calm down before she continued to speak.

'And he has his good points too.. he's very kind and that's why he didn't want us to hurt you… he fought against the Clustanians for your sake as well as Saki-chan's sake… Aoto never gives up too… do you remember how many antibodies you sent against us to defend yourself?

I thought we were going to die there…. But he didn't give up, he wanted to reach you… even if it's for selfish reasons… for our reason, he didn't want to hurt you… and no matter what you did, he succeeded, didn't he?'

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She was telling nothing but the truth, and she was thankfully happy for that… there was no way she can beautiful someone like Aoto so much if it wasn't the whole truth.

Ar Ru was silent throughout her whole speech but Cocona wasn't about to force her into admitting anything to her, especially if she didn't trust her enough to open up to her.

After all, she was afraid of her opening up to her as well. She wasn't as experienced or mature as Luca-san or Cloche-sama, would she be able to provide the right advice to her?

But Murphy's Law work like clockwork and Ar Ru clung into her with her small arms, exerting strength that she did not think she had in her.

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'S-so… by your argument…. If there is only a small chance, a very very small chance! That.. that I really did… feel something for Aoto… w-what should I do?'

The question that had plagued many a teenager since young was thrown into Cocona's court and she took a deep breath before considering the answer.

She didn't have much experience in that department as well, her only one true crush was on Cro, but she was not going to dwell into that topic for long. The love triangle was complicated and it would only get more complicated if Cro actually felt something for her as well.

… something other than as a sister, obviously!

But other than that, she didn't really pay attention to boys her age or those that she met along her journey. She was… different in many ways and there was no way they could get along well enough to develop romantic feelings between them.

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Not to mention they were mostly much older than her and she treated them as her seniors in many fields.

Her closest friends were those of the same age, Sasha-chan, Luca-san, Cloche-sama... and many more that she knew were her very very good friends.

Even when she was disguised as a boy and going under the name of Tatsumi, she had not much encounters with the opposite sex… when she is the opposite sex.

… She's confusing herself just thinking about it.

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So to sum it up, she couldn't really give good advice. But sometimes, simple is best.

'I don't know.'

She answered honestly and she laughed softly when Ar Ru's eyes widened as she wanted to protest, surely disappointed in her.

'If you're really sure that you feel something for him, then… you'll have to find your own way to get close to him. Just be yourself… who you are in front of him. Everyone has their own way to show their own affections… Aoto is not a dummy…'

'…'

Ar Ru did not seem convinced and Cocona shrugged sadly as the younger girl fidgeted beside her.

'It may not work out all the time… but you'll never regret it. That feeling you have for him, it's something different, something special and something you'll always remember.

Something that is bitter as well as sweet, that feels so horrible and wonderful at the same time… overpowering you, making your whole mind think of him… not wanting him to be taken away from you, desho?'

Using her own feelings for Cro to describe to Ar Ru, Cocona was not surprised to see her thoughtfully considering her words and nodding to her in the end.

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'You can keep denying it Ar Ru… or you can face it, using your own way to tell him that you cared for him, more than you thought you could. When you do… no matter the answer… I'll be here to share with your joy or your pain.'

She didn't want to build Ar Ru's hopes up too much but at the same time, wanted her to know that she was here for her.

In a way, she knew she did something right when Ar Ru silently nodded her head, looking thoughtful. It occurred to her too that it was not necessarily a good thing as well.

It meant that she was indeed growing up and maturing faster than she ever imagined. Sure, being forced to live through so many ordeals that ordinary citizens will never go through paid a part, but she never saw herself as an Elderly sister figure at all till now.

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't-that doesn't mean that I really feel something for that idiot, y-you understand, Cocona?'

Blinking as she regained her spunk and energy, Cocona did not miss that she actually called her by her name, a great concession in her case se she nodded wistfully while smiling at her.

'Hai hai~'

'I-it's not like… n-not like I really feel something for him or… or will… do what you ask me to do! It's just an experiment! An experiment!'

Noting that the similarities to Cloche-sama ended only in her choice of words, Cocona nodded and tried to appease the young girl by petting her head.

'Then I hope to hear your results… Ar Ru~'

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Cocona didn't know what she wanted to accomplish by helping Ar Ru, giving her advice and prodding her towards the general direction of heartbreak and disappointment.

She certainly didn't like seeing her friends in pain, but… well, she sorta knew how unrequited love hurts. Hers is a love that is forbidden and perhaps one that is buried so deep that she was glad it will never awaken.

Even if it hurts, even if it may be dash ones hopes… she knows that her friends who have fallen in love once will never forget it.

The strong feelings that they felt; the desire and the emotions that surged through them and through their hearts are real and one that showed that they are truly alive and living life fully.

She can almost describe them to be close to how she felt when Singing along with Cloche-sama and Luca-sama… a dedication through Hymnos.

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><p><strong>Author's Note: I'm not sure if i should end it like this.. but it seems like a good place to end...<strong>


	3. Differences

_Dedication Through Hymnos_

_Chapter 3: Differences_

**Written by: wrathie**

**Original Concept: Gust & Branpresto**

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><p><strong>Author's Notes: This is one of those chapters that I just wrote without thinking much... and yet turned out okay. Odd<strong>

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'That was a close one…'

Sighing to herself as she barely blocked a strike from another virus that threatened to behead her with it's claws, Cocona took a deep breath as she spun her modified v-boards to strike that virus down, sending it to a short death when the Revyatiel supporting them, Finnel, fired off her song magic to decimate the rest of the viruses that were hovering and surrounding them.

It has been tough going ever since they added Tyria, Ar Ru and subsequently the final 2 personalities belonging to Saki-chan and Finnel-chan.

In this tower and this continent, everything is different from where she had came from, from the song magic that the Revyateil sings, the 'purging' system that their 3 Revyateil companions seem to all possess to the Revyateils themselves.

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Having multiple personalities in each other seems to come straight out of a science fiction book, but after seeing Saki-chan and her different personalities, reinforces by Finnel and later Tyria's ability to have 2 or more different personalities have forced Cocona to accept it.

She even became a little curious as to what kinds of personalities that Cloche-sama, Luca-san and maybe even Jakuri-san would have inside them… in many ways, it would probably not be a good idea to know either…

Their personalities seem to vary from being nice to the odd… and after spending much time with the Holy Maidens, learning about some of their eccentric behavior from Cro and of course, experiencing some firsthand… Cocona felt that they were better off the way they are, no matter how odd they seem to be in the insides.

She would be horrified one day if Cro or Aoto(not that she would ever let him) decided to dive into her and subsequently discover that she herself has some 'unique' sides of her that she had no idea existed.

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Yes, she had no idea of in the first place!

In that case, she would have to do the honorable thing to end her own life… especially if Aoto was the one who discovered it…

If it is Cro, she wouldn't mind that much as Cro would be able to keep it a secret between the two of them… who knows how many other ' little dirty' secrets besides hers that he knew about…

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Thankfully, if it was not for her previous dealings with Cloche-sama and the rest of the Holy Maidens, she would have doubted her own ability as a Revyateil… particularly so as she was not able to 'purge' like the three of them. But she was unique and has trained under Cro to be a member of the Royal Knights since young.

In the defense of her three newest friends however, their Mind Guardians were totally unlike those that she had seen and heard Lady Cloche or any of the Holy Maiden-samas sing… and their destructive powers scared her a little too.

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But for all the power in the world, all the leaf too, she didn't want to purge to defeat an enemy… well again, maybe for Cro… or to save Sasha-chan.

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'Daijobu Desuka, Finnel-chan?'

Smiling as she ran over to Finnel, who seemed a little tired after their latest skirmish with the virus, she helped the girl up and she smiled back at her.

Ever since the incident that had caused her to leap off the tower, v-board down to catch the falling Finnel, the girl had been very close and thankful to Cocona.

Even if in the first place she had been persuaded to stop contemplating suicide _only after_ Aoto had persuaded her not to, her words didn't seem to persuade her in anyway.

Still, she took comfort in that fact that everyone else, even Aoto had greatly respected her even more after that stunt she had pulled.

Not anyone can boast of surviving an ambush, fighting back that cowardly bastard that had struck her from behind and YET have enough strength and ingenuity to catch up with the rest, save one of them by jumping off the same cliff and pulling the two of them back without the hero's help.

In short, she was pretty proud of herself for doing that.

..

..

'I'm okay, Cocona-san…'

Even if Finnel has developed a tendency to treat her as a senior along with a reverent tone to top it off. That made her understand Lady Cloche's feelings a little better. She did feel a little distant from Finnel when she treated her with so much respect.

'Please, call me Cocona.'

She sighed a little as she looked around, Blue Heaven Peak seemed cleansed now, sort of… according to Ar Ru and Tyria, the virus threat won't be fully gone till they healed the Planet, even if the 'Mother' of all the antibodies are on their side.

Antibodies or Viruses act to protect the planet and all of them shared the view that Humans are the cause of the Planet's Pain and suffering and will continue to try and exterminate all of them till they prove otherwise.

Even Clustania is not safe now, but Cocona was sure that Finnel's Best friend General Ayane was controlling the situation up there by herself…

..

..

Blinking back to reality when she noticed that Finnel has stiffened, she looked in her direction to see that Aoto was chatting with Saki-chan again, it happened frequently enough that it had became the norm but it still disheartened Cocona to see Finnel looking so dejected like that.

She assumed that Finnel is a nice girl, a little clumsy perhaps and although she can't measure up to Saki with her kindness and eagerness… she was…

'…'

Who was she kidding, Finnel had many flaws about her and her good traits are not comparable to what Saki-chan has.

..

..

For starters, Saki had been truthful about what she told all of them, which made Finnel score double negatives as she did conceal many things from her, first of all sharing bodies with Soma of all people in the world and of course, lying to her about why she was interested in her(Tatsumi).

Saki was kind too, almost too kind but that trait was not a bad one… as compared to Finnel, who is constantly demoralizing herself, needing encouragement from everyone, especially Aoto to comfort her.

In short, even if Saki fitted the bill of a damsel in distress, Finnel forced herself into that role with only Aoto entertaining her. Cocona felt sorry for her, she did try her best in everything that she did and she really did led a pathetic life…. Which seems to be the only thing that stands out about her, bluntly speaking.

She wouldn't blame Aoto for finding Saki attractive but she did find it shocking that Finnel still had not gave up on hoping or wishing that Aoto would look at her just once and to give her some attention.

Something about Finnel reminded Cocona of a small kitten, begging to be petted just before she passed away in the unrelenting winter…

..

..

'Finnel-chan?'

Patting her on the shoulder with a resigned and forced smile, Cocona eased her away to stop her from staring in such a forlorn way at those two. She supposed one part of it was that they needed their privacy and the second main reason was that it was getting Finnel nowhere if she is just going to watch.

Honestly, she did not know what she see in Aoto, which is different from Ar Ru, who she can read like a book or from Tyria, which she can gauge from her experience with Frelia-sama.

It seems that the boy was the one that she drew inspiration, courage and strength from. Her words were most unheeded, even if she does give her the attention and although she's good friends with Saki(Who isn't good friends with Saki?), she can't expect to draw inspiration or strength from that air-headed love rival of hers.

..

..

Hikari Gojo sensei was out of the question as well, although dependable in combat and in his profession, there are things that patients and doctors did not share among each other, even with patient confidentiality and it seems that he respects her decision as well on this matter.

No, it would only rest on her shoulder to pull the girl out of her blue funk, to set the record straight with her. If it was severely affecting her emotionally and physically right now, who knows what would happen in the long run.

She had been excited that Aoto had dived deep enough into her to accept who she was and he probably found out why Finnel herself behaved that way and who she really is, thus unlocking the last Persona to the group, Suzonomia… another weird girl that Cocona had yet to be properly introduced to yet.

At least Sakia Rumei seems normal enough, reminding her of some of the Royal Knights and she had hit off with her relatively well at the start.

..

..

If Finnel is to continue to be friends with Saki and with Aoto, she figured that she'll have to talk to her and soon. In the same time, Cocona herself realized that she was swiftly turning into the 'elder sister' of the group and she felt a migraine growing…

When compared to more knowledgeable people in the matter of the heart, one can swiftly point out Saki's Persona: Sarapatra for advice, but Cocona knew that she was fond of teasing others as well… even if her advice is generally good and true.

But it was that teasing personality as well as her infrequent appearances that made her unsuitable for the role, not to mention that she was rooting for Saki to find her true love, hence limiting her advice to Saki and alienating the rest.

It was not that Cocona favored one girl over another, it is just… she prefers it to be a level playing field… even if it is unrealistic.

..

..

'… such misfortune.'

She sighed as the migraine really happened and she placed one hand on her head while Finnel looked at her with a confused expression.

'Yes, Cocona-san?'

'Call me Cocona… You don't look good… have you been sleeping well?'

Generally the girls slept in their own beds and rooms, the bounty that they was offered for ridding many of the monsters and viruses were sufficient to support all of them relatively well. Not to mention that Finnel and Saki would sometimes help out at the restaurants to pay off some of their debts when they were waiting for Aoto and the rest to bring more news on the situation.

For herself, she would normally be spending time with Sasha-chan in whatever way she could help out or reading up on new information that was provided by Tyria.

It was nice to not share rooms with anyone else, doubly nice when she was Tatsumi as she would rather die than share a tent with Aoto… when they were out camping, she would find an excuse to sleep with Hikari Gojo sensei instead, even if she believed that he did suspect something was amiss with her after a while.

..

..

But at the same time, it made her feel a little sad that she wouldn't be able to share stories with her friends as well, girl only stuff like how she liked to when sleeping with Luca-san or in the rare occasion that Lady Cloche allowed her to slip into her room or tent to sleep for the night.

It had been nice, especially sometimes when Cro would visit her at night after speaking with the girls mentioned earlier. Most of her most precious memories were from those late night chats with her friends and she found it a little lacking amongst this group of friends.

Not those precious moments were lacking with them, the times that they shared in the dinner table for one warmed her heart at the lively conversation between all of them. They were, close together, closer than with her previous bunch of close friends, even if it seems bad to compare them that way.

But it was true, they had experienced life and death experienced yes, but they were not as emotionally tied to each other as in this occasion. They had no true allies save for themselves, she was in a strange new world, same as with Saki with no one truly their ally.

She had to hide her identity and it was nice to have friends that did not care about who she was and who was around the same age as her, it felt odd but at the same time she felt liberated from gender discrimination at the same time.

..

..

For Finnel and Saki, it was the same for them and they had bonded together from having the same experience as well as being in the same circumstances as she was.

For Aoto and Hikari Gojo-sensei, they were very open and friendly people by default and from how Hikari Gojo sensei was willing to ditch his office and his reputation to help Saki had done wonders with his relationship with the rest of the group. She herself would trust him with her life after all he did for her.

For Aoto, perhaps it was his upbringing that made him so open and fearless, even if he was blunt… so different from the world that Cro had showed her when she was young.

Thus it was hard to tell whether one girl was getting more rest than another, or which girl Aoto would be spending time with that particular night.

She had the inkling that Finnel would be one that would continue to wait for him till she drifted off to sleep due to tiredness… and the dark rings that she tried to cover up with makeup sealed the deal.

'…'

..

..

Looking at her intently, she was resigned to admit that the girl hardly possessed any self confidence at all as she wilted after a moment… at least she was getting better at accepting herself after Aoto's influence but she herself might still have a hold over her.

'I'm not mad at you, Finnel-chan… I'm just worried…'

She gave a smile and was gratified to see Finnel smiling back and she tightened her grip on her shoulder, showing that she did not want her to look away.

'… you've been staying up waiting for Aoto, right?'

The guilty look that she showed before she looked away proved that she was right and she shook her a little, looking over her shoulder to see Hikari Gojo nodding and giving them some space while pulling Tyria away to join Saki and Aoto.

The last thing she needed was for Finnel to break down in front of all of them, which she did almost immediately by crying into her arms, pressing her face into her chest while she awkwardly petted her shoulders.

Yes, it will be a long while before she could get Finnel to open up to help her with her issues.

..

..

'Yes…'

She confessed to her awkwardly and Cocona sighed, unsure how to continue on briefly as she eased her to sit on a nearby rock before clearing her throat again and asking her.

'He didn't show… right? I think he was speaking with Saki-chan…'

She refrained from using the word: 'again' as it would hurt her terribly, but she knew that Finnel did expect that as her eyes became visibly more downcast the moment she told her that.

'Noo…Aoto was with Tyria-san…'

But she denied her statement almost immediately and she felt a chill run up her spine, was she stalking him? The situation might be even worse than she imagined.

It is one thing to be obsessively in love with someone, it's another when it turns into a exercise in stalking and Cocona felt extremely uncomfortable when Finnel didn't seem to think that it was wrong.

'I saw him entering her room while I went to the washroom.'

Thankfully, she added innocently enough and Cocona released the held breath that she did not even know she was holding. Perhaps she gave the girl too little credit after all.

..

..

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: I do like Finnel alot~~<strong>


	4. Regrets

_Dedication Through Hymnos_

_Chapter 4: Regrets_

**Written by: wrathie**

**Original Concept: Gust & Branpresto**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: My inspiration is good. But my viewership is low..<strong>

* * *

><p>..<p>

..

Sitting with Finnel, Cocona took a deep breath as she saw how nervous she was at being alone with her.

She did not believe that a girl like her would be afraid or even nervous of her presence here as she was so energetic and fearless normally, it made her wonder about her image a little.

After all, she didn't scream or berate her too much, did she?

'…'

..

..

No she didn't and so she should not get too bothered by it. It is just her nature, that's all!

'Finnel-chan…'

But calling her by her name almost seemed as though she was struck by it as she flinched before nodding her head eagerly.

'Yes, Cocona-san?'

Giving up on expecting her to call her by her name, she was glad to see that at least she was a little less nervous now after her initial greeting, even allowing her to hold her hand and she smiled at her.

'Are you… giving up now?'

An indirect question but she hoped that Finnel was sharp enough or at least more accepting of her feelings to not immediately deny her emotions towards the boy.

'…'

The ominous pause that followed made her nervous too and she felt her lips dried up while waiting as Finnel looked down at her hands before slowly looking up with tears in her eyes.

This made Cocona panic as she had really no idea what had made her cry, various possibilities ran through her mind as Finnel continued to sob weakly as she tried to rub away the tears, but no matter how much she tried, the tears would not stop running.

..

..

'Finnel-chan…'

Feeling very sorry for the poor girl, Cocona hugged her and she was glad that Finnel did not push her away and instead accepted her warm embrace, even hugging her back, her frail arms having much more strength than she imagined and she was breathless for a second as Finnel literally squeezed the air out of her till she released her.

'I-I'm sorry Cocona-san… I… I just…'

'No, it's alright… I know you had quite a horrible few weeks.'

It had not been just a few horrible weeks, it had been a few horrible months ever since that incident where Saki was 'delivered' into the enemies' hand. It was then that Aoto became very protective of the kind-hearted girl and started side-lining and sometimes favoring Saki over her no matter what she did.

Previously he had seemed equally interested in the two of them, even flirting with Finnel in a few occasions and teasing her about liking her, Cocona(Tatsumi).

She had this nagging negative feeling that it was the initial interest that Finnel had for Tatsumi(Cocona) that had hindered the romantic development between them a little.

..

..

After all, Finnel and Aoto got along great even though they just met, even if their relationship were probably constrained to being just friends in Aoto's point of view.

Saki had a point in her favor as she was probably the type of girl that Aoto liked while Finnel's assets were hardly remarkable.

But one must remember, Finnel had been attracted to him from the beginning, even if she did deny it furiously… this is different from Saki, who slowly grew to like him, developing her feelings from simple 'friends' to 'love'.

..

This was obvious to Cocona as Lady Cloche had gone through the same phase and period of denial at the start, it had been amusing to see the reaction on her face, when she, as Tatsumi then, teased Finnel about Aoto.

If that was true, then Cocona felt that she had to do something about it, perhaps to give her a push towards the right direction… even if she did like Saki-chan lots, there is something about evening the playing field as well.

..

..

'Cocona-san.'

'Cocona… alright, Finnel-chan? Call me Cocona…'

She smiled as she squeezed Finnel's hands and she was delighted to hear Finnel try call her out in that new name.

C-cocona…'

'Mm… we're both girls…. And we're around the same age, there's no reason why you should call me so formally, Finnel-chan~'

"B-but… but I'm so clumsy and I pull the group back… unlike Cocona-san, you're so beautiful and graceful and so strong… you came all the way here by yourself without any help, you don't need people protecting you even though you're a Revyateil… and…'

So that's the reason for her having such overwhelming awe for her and she felt embarrassed at those points that she pointed out.

Cocona didn't find herself pretty or beautiful when compared to Sasha-chan, she knew that her best friend had many suitors who were still unable to come and confess to her due to her status.

Anyone would be intimidated at knowing that such a young girl had helped save the world once and is now in the progress of saving it another time. Even Aoto was strangely respectful towards the girl and did not even try to hit on her even once.

Well, perhaps the reason for that was the look that she gave him once when they first met, Cocona swore that Aoto had jumped a little when he noticed the glint in her eyes while staring at him.

..

..

And like she had said, she had trained with Cro since young as part of the Royal Knights… but now she was getting sidetracked by Finnel as she grabbed her by the shoulder and shook her a little. The little confidence that she had before was disappearing rapidly the more she praised her.

It was silly of her to compare to her, no one was perfect and she had her own flaws as well.

'I'm not perfect either, Finnel-chan… I have my own weaknesses… things that I cannot do and times that I embarrassed myself and the people around me too.'

She smiled as Finnel seemed unconvinced and she started telling her about her first adventure out with Cro as part of the Royal Knights.

..

..

Instead of helping out, she had gotten picked on instead by the Rebels and Cro had to save her instead. Being the tiniest member as well as a girl did not help her when she was targeted from the start. It is difficult for anyone to fend off 5-6 bandits all charging at her at once!

'You see… I'm not perfect too… I know Finnel-chan works hard more than anyone else.'

Cocona knew that she had worked hard, why else would she try so desperately to prove herself, sometimes putting herself in harms way just to connect with Aoto and the rest of the party members better to unleash her powerful songs.

Unlike Saki, Finnel had no qualms about using her song magic for 'cleaning up' purposes and although she was less talented in the healing department she still put in her all to help everyone recover from their injuries as fast as she could, sometimes tiring herself out just to help the others.

...

..

She was not holding them back at all, in fact if she remembered accurately, they were only able to push past the guardian that guarded Tyria solely because of Finnel, who had hung on despite being attacked by the guardian itself.

It was so horribly strong and she had been knocked far away after being cornered by it and unable to help protect Finnel when it lumbered towards that hapless girl, which it registered as the biggest threat..

Aoto too had little success distracting the behemoth before he too was knocked back, almost out of the fight. The real hero of that particular battle was Hikari Gojo sensei, who had valiantly defended Saki till the two of them were knocked flying by a tremendous sweep of those mechanical arms.

..

..

But Finnel had held firm despite being manhandled by the guardian, even though she was squirming in it's grasp, she had never once stopped singing and even sung even louder when Aoto demanded her to be freed, unleashing into his EX-OverDrive for the first time, much to the embarrassment of all of the girls present then.

In the end, it was not that EX which took down the guardian, but Finnel's Flipsphere which did the trick, utterly pulverizing the Guardian to Kingdom Come with her resonating emotions. It made even her, a battle hardened veteran shudder at the damage from such a frail looking girl.

It was proof that she really felt something very strong for all of them, not just Aoto as she had hugged all of them tightly in a group when the battle was over.

* * *

><p>..<p>

..

'No you're not, Finnel-chan. You're wonderful in your own way too.'

She asserted clearly to Finnel, ignoring the look of shock that she had on her face and the way her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. It did look cute that way and Cocona pinched her cheeks and giggled while explaining to her.

You try harder than anyone else and although you did said that you are not good enough, can never meet up to your own expectations, you like all of us more than anyone else… even Saki-chan, that I am sure of.'

Even more stunned at Cocona's words, Finnel was unable to speak for a moment till her eyes hardened and she began to deny everything that Cocona had told her by covering her ears with her hands and shaking her head ferociously.

'No no! I'm not! I'm not like what Cocona-san says I am! I can't be! T-there's no way that I… that I…'

'That you like all of us?'

Reaching out, Cocona gently eased the shaking of her head and she looked into her purple eyes, glistening with tears and smiled while shaking her head.

'You can't say that, can you, silly Finnel-chan… you do like all of us, more than anyone else… desho?

Sadly too, Cocona knew her reasons for liking all of them as well.

..

..

Besides Akane who is a close friend of hers, Cocona was fairly certain that Finnel had not had any true friends who accepted her as much as how the group had.

All of them liked her to some extent as she had through her own actions, risking herself in battle and of course, with the discovery of how she was betrayed so many times, earned back the trust she had lost earlier when they did not know her.

Finnel is really a poor and pathetic child, with no one willing to support and love her till now.

She had to leave Akane's side as she did not want to be a burden for her, something Cocona can relate with and she had to give up so much just to gain so little.

There is no way that Finnel can say that she disliked her or anyone of them, people who really liked her and accepted her for who she is and of course, treasured and viewed her as precious as she did to them.

Just like Saki, perhaps Finnel was unable to dislike anyone in the group here as well, even Saki as a love Rival.

..

..

'Cocona..'

She sobbed again as she hugged her tighter than before and the girl gave a sigh at hitting the nail on the head. This girl, Finnel is stronger than she could ever imagine. Perhaps even stronger than Saki, who went through many horrible incidents in life with many people sheltering her from her despair and sadness, even continuing to show the same kindness to her enemies despite all of that.

No, in contrast to Saki, Finnel was left to pick up the broken pieces despite her Personas trying to get her out of harm's way… if they could just help her the same way Saki's persona saved her, would Finnel be a different person altogether?

Would she have been a happier girl, one similar to Saki if she was not ostracized and picked on as a child?

Cocona was no prophet and she did not know any details of her cosmosphere but she did speak with Akane-san before they left Claustania for the last time.

They had a duel too before they left, it seems that Akane-san was very impressed with her skills and wanted to 'compare their abilities'

..

..

Or so she had claimed… but in the end that duel had left her sprawled out on the floor in her tiredness, but at least the duel had ended up in a decisive draw.

Akane-san's technique was swift and deadly, but she had prevailed somehow after seeing an opening and taking it by hitting her hard with her own EX-Overdrive after she slipped up for a second.

She had painted the picture of Finnel's life for her after that, filling in the blanks for her, Saki-chan and Tyria-san when they were having a stayover in her house before they left.

..

..

It was sufficient knowledge for her to come to this conclusion and to comfort the poor girl, who was now crying outright into her arms and she wondered how long ago had she allowed the tears to flow so freely?

'Finnel-chan… I'm here for you, so don't cry… I know you worked hard… all of us can see that.'

She ran a hand through her hair to comfort her by touch, gently caressing her and comforting her with soft spoken words of encouragement.

'I… I don't want to give up… c-cocona… but… I… I don't… but it hurts!... I.. I don't think… I… I can…'

Returning to the topic that she had raised suddenly, Cocona could understand her a little better why she liked Aoto after running through that train of thought about Finnel's life earlier.

The girl did not have anyone coming to her aid besides Akaane till he went ahead to save her from that dangerous position in that cliff. It must have seemed like a shining dashing prince in disguise coming to save her.

Even if it is hard to picture Aoto in that role, unfortunately.

Regretfully and thankfully, Cocona remembered that as Tatsumi she had not trusted Finnel and even suggested to leave her behind then.

It was fortunate that Aoto had decided to save her and take her along, even if in the end they had to go through her web of deceit to find the truth and it wouldn't do if Tatsumi had been the one that Finnel had felt attracted to…

Without Saki and Finnel both, she doubted that they could last as long as they did. In many counts it is miraculous that they all survived so many captures, beatings and interrogations…

..

..

'Then don't give up.'

But she had never gave up, not once when she was taken captive or when she was ambushed by Ayatane… she never did give up and she was sure that she would return to Cro and Lady Cloche and everyone…

She knew too that Finnel wouldn't want to give up either.

Her answer to her question was straightforward and painful at the same time as she urged her to look up into her eyes while she smiled back at her confidently.

'Don't ever give up… if those feelings for him are true, are real… and is the one thing that you truly care about. You have no reason to give it up…'

She clutched her hands and pressed it against her chest, letting her feel her racing heart as well.

'Those feelings are bitter and sweet at the same time, it has the best of both worlds, the best and the worst experience rolled into one. If you have experienced the worst that can happen, it will only mean that it will only get better, right?'

..

..

She might lying, lying to save her teeth as well as to comfort Finnel. But she hoped that it was right at the same time.

Having one's feelings unreturned is possibly the worst experience one can feel but the pain will never go away as time goes by.

Time can heal all wounds but at the same time, Cocona knew that she would never forget, never regretted falling in love with that person.

The feelings that one would feel for that person would not be the same as the next one that they feel attracted to.

..

..

One's first love is the most intense, the silliest and at the same time, the most rewarding.

'You might regret it now, but you will regret it even more if you just gave up now… because it's not over… you will know when it 's over… and then you will always ask yourself, what if I never gave up… what if I had continued on loving him, not giving him up?'

She asked the right questions, pushing the right buttons and perhaps making her a little terrified of the future. But she has to say it, to tell Finnel of the consequences if she was to give up now, to not struggle till the last possible moment.

Pushing the girl to a shoulder length away, Cocona said her last piece and perhaps the piece that will encourage her to continued on her path, broken and hurt as she is to the last part of her journey to happiness.

'You've walked so far by yourself, with him supporting you… with us supporting you, but we can't do that in the last part of your journey, Finnel-chan… you might not believe in yourself, but you have to… this is your journey. Not Soma's journey, not Yurisica… but yours. This is your journey, Finnel… a few more steps, to heaven or hell and to the happiness that all girls dreamed off… so please…'

..

..

**_Don't give up_**

**_.._**

**_ ..  
><em>**

She wished that Finnel can understand, can summon that last bit of courage to step forward and to decide her own fate.

Even if it may be impossible, even if it might not be the ending she wanted… it would end, her suffering will end then…

'I won't give up…'

She softly spoke to her relief but Cocona added on hurriedly before she got too ahead of herself.

'It might not be what you want… Finnel-chan…. But you'll know the answer that you do not know now… and then you'll find the courage to continue on… with him, or without him.'

..

..

Cocona closed her eyes as she helped her up, pressing her forehead against hers as she repeated herself.

'With or without him, Finnel-chan… you'll never regret it… that I can promise you.'

She looked up to see Finnel smiling doubtfully but she nonetheless gave her a smile back.

'Cocona…'

'Yes, Finnel-chan?'

'… H-how… how do you know all this?'

The answer came more quicker and with less pain than she had imagined as she answered softly.

'I found my answer, Finnel… I found the answer that I wanted to know for so long.'

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: I so wanna play Neptunia~~~<br>**


	5. Guarding One's Heart

_Dedication Through Hymnos_

_Chapter 5: Guarding One's Heart _

**Written by: wrathie**

**Original Concept: Gust & Branpresto**

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: I don't know if I ended the chapter well enough, but this is my insight on Sakia from the limited scenes we get..<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>..<strong>

**..  
><strong>

It is well known that everyone liked bathing and soaking in the bath, especially so when it is an exceptionally cold night as the hot water would make it more comfortable for them to sleep.

Cleaning up after one has gone through a hard day's work is refreshing too.

Sometimes, it was too comfortable, the girl known as Cocona thought bitterly while soaking her whole body in the hot water.

It greatly helped to ease her frazzled nerves as she felt all the worries for the day disappear by simply closing her eyes and lying in the bath.

She was alone in the bath as she had wanted to polish her V-boards for the next day, one thing led to another and she ended up taking it for a spin, practicing all of her moves repeatedly till it was dinner time before she knew it

..

..

Not one to miss dinner with her friends, she had opted to bath after it despite the discomfort that she felt from the sweat and grime due to her exercise.

She had hoped that some of the girls like Finnel or Tyria would have waited for her to have their bath together but her hopes were dashed when she saw them with their hair tied up while waiting for it to dry.

Bath time with the other girls in her party was another enjoyable time that she enjoyed and which is a daily staple regardless of she being here or in her home in the 2nd tower.

There she had Lady Cloche and Luca-san, not to mention Sasha and Lady Frelia when she has the time. It was enjoyable but a little lonely as they treated her like a child.

She was with equals here and she enjoyed the conversations they had during their baths, the discussions they had over the day's event as well as about the items that they received from Aoto when he synthesizes, she must admit that the boy has great skill in it and probably surpasses Cro in the same field.

..

..

So she had resigned herself to having a bath by herself with the excitement and the energetic chatter from her fellow friends.

In a way it was good too, it made her feel calmer and more relaxed than she had been in days as she could recollect herself, rearranging her thoughts while letting her body slip under the water for a bit to soak her head in as well.

It is nice to be in the woman's bath after a long time masquerading as Tatsumi, her alter-ego and it has been even harder to get over that sudden onslaught of fear that she felt when someone opened the door to the bath.

That fear was courtesy of Aoto of course, barging into the bath without warning at all.

'ugh…'

Now that she remembered what had happened to her, it was not surprising when she jumped a little as the door tentatively opened a crack.

..

..

Cocona did not know made her want to hold her breath and to stay in that position. Perhaps it's true that curiosity killed the cat as she was sure they weren't any other girls in the Inn tonight, they had been the only customers, having Antibodies running around tend to hit the tourism industry quite hard.

If it was Aoto trying to take a peek at the female's bath, she will kill him personally, leader or not.

..

But she did not expect the person to be Sakia Lumei, one of Saki-chan's persona and one of the last to show herself to the group. Now she remembered why dinner was a little quieter than usual, Sakia Lumei was still getting used to the group and without Saki-chan's energetic but clueless chatter, it seems something was missing.

It had been a surprise when she eventually showed up, Sakia Lumei wanted to surrender to their enemies despite Aoto begging her not to.

It did not make sense to her then and it did not make sense to her now as she had clarified her actions for doing so. She was not going to ask as well unless she gives up that information willingly, everyone deserve to have their own privacy after all.

..

..

As a fellow warrior-type(?) Revyateil like her, Cocona had been impressed by Sakia's swordsmanship skill as she had show it a little when one of the Antibodies had gotten too close to her for comfort and she knocked it back with several masterful strikes at it's abdomen.

Although lacking in strength, she has considerable skill and she had no doubts that Saki's strongest pesona could possibly be a vanguard like her; at least whenever she decided to socialize and be more familiar with the rest of the group.

It is not that she is aloof or shy or has any of those weird eccentric behaviors like Saki or Finnel's persona, it is more of the fact that they did not know how to strike up a conversation with her and it was not that they did not try to make an effort too…

She is just, awkward in socializing… as she tends to treat everyone as if they were her superiors and while it is polite and all, it is very difficult to engage in small talk when she is so serious all the time.

..

..

Even Sasha-chan has difficulty in trying to speak with her, something Cocona has never seen before.

The term: Let one's hair down, would be best used on her as she was too uptight for her own good. No doubt it would help her military career as she was similar to Akane-dono, but it will not gain her points in the personal life section.

Even General Akane was more sociable than her, but perhaps Cocona and the rest were too hard on her.

..

..

* * *

><p>'Ah!'<p>

Looking around nervously for anyone present in the bath beside her, Sakia Lumei stepped into the woman's bath with only a towel covering her and then gave a squeak of surprise when she saw Cocona waving at her sheepishly as she surfaced for air.

'C-cocona-san! I… I would not wish to disturb you bathing, I shall take my leave now!'

Bowing to her in a hurry, Sakia Lumei was about to flee for the border when a strong and firm hand reached out and grabbed her, almost making her slip as well.

'No, I don't mind. Please Join me, Sakia-san.'

Using formality as a way to connect to her, Cocona held her breath as she did desperately want to speak with her, converse with her and to get a better understanding of who she is.

Not to mention, she had promised herself to ask the rest about their thoughts of Aoto, Sakia Lumei was not attracted(?) to Aoto per se as she was a little more vocal and aggressive to him as compared to other people,

She does not seem to hold him in a respectful light at all, but could that be her way to say that he was different from the others?

If she is really another Tsundere, she would have a field day…

..

..

'Many thanks for inviting me to do so, Cocona-san, but I would surely be in the way…'

Trying to squirm and worm her way out of her grasp, Cocona nonetheless stayed firm and slowly guided Sakia into the hot spring bath with her.

'I'm sure it would be helpful to have you around when Aoto that pervert tries t peep, but make sure you leave me a chance to vent out my frustration on him as well.'

Winking at Sakia, Cocona guessed correctly that with a simple request of help to Sakia would make her settle down without protest. Involuntarily she shivered a little too, was she really turning into a manipulative person like Jakuri-sama as well?

..

..

'Your skin, it's so smooth, Sakia-san… I wish I have skin like that.'

Feeling a little awed at the condition of her skin, which Aoto would no doubt declare as that of a young beauty, Cocona frowned at some bruises that she has on her right arm and rubbed at it harder in the water to try and make it a wee bit lighter despite it stinging when she did so.

The toll of being into so many battles from young has shown on her body and she had a few scars from the time she did not guard well or that time that Ayatane had gotten that lucky cheap shot behind her.

Thankfully it really isn't very visible thank to some Healing Magic that Saki had administered after that, but she was flawed…

'You should not feel that way, Cocona-san, it is a symbol of your past victories as well as showcasing your bravery in battle. For myself, I feel envious of your ability and bravery to engage in battle with the enemy even as a fellow Revyateil.

I do wish that I can engage in battle in the same way but Aoto-baka does not wish to harm Saki in any way. I will respect his and her wish to stay protected behind friendly lines although my heart yearns for battle.'

..

..

It is perhaps the longest conversation that anyone has with Sakia Lumei so far and Cocona was rewarded with many new and interesting insights on her character.

Was she once again another role model to another girl? Was she really so perfect like everyone says she is? She didn't really want to be a vanguard… no that did not come out right...

She wanted to be a vanguard to be with Cro but she did not think it is something to be proud about, nor was it something that she wanted to be remembered by.

Think about it, every girl wishes to be described as beautiful or cute by someone else, what does everyone view her as anyway?

Cocona knew she is not as beautiful, cute or perfect as Sasha-chan or Finnel-chan or Tyria-san… but STILL! She was cute, right! RIGHT?

..

..

'C-cocona-san… daijobu?'

Realizing that she must have looked a little odd in her inner monologue, Cocona raised her head and smiled at Sakia to set her mind at ease.

'Daijobu, I just spaced out for a second…'

She was more thoughtful than she imagined as she took Aoto and Saki's wishes to heart despite her wish to battle. She is more sensitive than she gave credit for and it is a very good thing!

She could just make her open up a little, even if it is only to her.. it is a start in the right direction.

'That's just silly, Sakia-san… I'm a girl after all. I'm not proud of these scars… I want to be a beautiful bride, I can't if I have scars all over my body.'

In all honesty that was one of her secret ambitions and Cocona was a little hurt by the look of surprise that she saw on Sakia's face for a brief second. W-was she really so fierce looking that she can't imagine her behaving like a girl of her age?

Or like a girl at all? She really has to change her image if this kept up.

..

..

'Do not say that, Cocona-san. I am sure that with the right person, he will not pay heed to your external beauty as much as your internal one. I am certain that you will definitely be a Beautiful bride… I may be selfish in asking this, but I will be honored to attend your wedding as a guest as well.'

Recovering and covering her wrong choices in words almost flawlessly, Cocona found Sakia to be a tough nut to crack when compared to Ar Ru or Finnel as she was more knowledgeable and composed when compared to the two of them.

Meaning that 'cheap' tricks would not reveal her innermost feelings unlike Saki or Finnel, who are most transparent with theirs.

..

'Ah, Sakia-san is flattering me. I don't think anyone would want me… not when you, Sasha-chan and Finnel-chan are better candidates… I'll just be a violent vanguard who bullies the boys around… I'll be satisfied if just one person would to develop romantic feelings for me.'

It'll be interesting to see that too, a development that has not happened to her knowledge.

Cocona allowed her body to sink deeper into the bath while she sighed and Sakia just looked a little awkward at the direction this conversation is going.

'I am inexperienced in this manner, but you have your own attractive traits as well, Cocona-san. Please pardon my words but you are a very beautiful young lady, be confident in yourself and you shall find happiness. Your determination will ensure nothing will stop you from achieving that.'

Smiling at Cocona, the other girl thought that Sakia was the perfect example of the acronym: 'Do not Judge a Book By the Cover' as she would not have believed Sakia would say that to anyone, even to comfort them unless she had heard it with her own ears.

..

..

'Thank you, Sakia-san… I am sorry for bothering you with my worries.'

Sounding a little embarrassed at her ranting a little to Sakia, Cocona bit her lip before asking her for another favor, this time a more intimate one as she waded towards Sakia, who was relaxing in the other end of the bath.

'e-eh? Is there something wrong, Cocona-san?'

Seeming a little conscious of her body, Sakia blushed red when Cocona whispered her request.

'Is it alright if we help each other wash our backs? It's a big day tomorrow and I want to be clean. Please!'

Clapping her hands together as she begged, Cocona smiled happily when Sakia reluctantly nodded her head. Sakia really did look cute embarrassed like that and Cocona managed to facepalm internally, was that how Soraneko-san felt for Luca-san? If that is the case, she really did need to have a talk with sensei about her mental state soon.

* * *

><p>..<p>

..

'Mm…'

Rubbing the soap all over her back, Cocona smiled awkwardly as Sakia made some weird noises when she scrubbed at some places that she felt dirty doing that. But they were just helping each other scrub their backs, they were not doing something wrong!

'Sakia-san… if you feel uncomfortable…'

She asked softly but Sakia was too polite to refuse her and she shook her head bravely.

'No, I am just not used to being in close contact with another person, Cocona-san. Ever since I undertook the mission, I know I have changed much from who I am. I have kept many things from Saki-chan and all of you… to feel distrustful of me is normal.'

Blinking a little at her reply, Cocona realized that the second half of her answer was blurted out inadvertently as she lowered her head. So she had been keeping it inside herself as well and knowing that made it much easier for Cocona to speak to her about it as she petted her head gently while shaking her head.

..

..

'Everyone has their reasons for doing the things that they did. Even if we don't understand it now, we will if you tell us. It might take some time, but we know you really meant no harm.'

Thinking about it, she scrubbed a little harder and that cause Sakia to wince in pain at the treatment she is receiving.

'Not everyone is forgiving though, so you'll have to be patient a little too, desho~'

Smiling and giving her a surprise hug from behind, wrapping her arms around her naked body before nibbling her ears in an affectionate way, Cocona made Sakia turn redder than ever.

'I know Saki-chan has accepted you and forgive you so there's no reason for us not to. The Saki-chan that I like and know is very forgiving, but if she is alright in calling you Sakia-Onee-chan she really trusts you. Everything you did so far was to protect Saki-chan to some extent… even though I wonder why you entrusted Saki to Aoto in the first place.'

It is a question that she had been dying to ask for a long time, the first time she met Saki was when Aoto was cornered by those guards. She jumped in without hesitating to help them on impulse and got swept into a series of events that turned out for the best.

Even if there were many situations that seemed hopeless and impossible to accomplish, she accomplished her mission… Now it is time to save the world again!

..

.

'Ah… a-about that…'

Scratching her chin in an embarrassed fashion, Sakia confessed to Cocona that she really did not have a choice at the moment.

'I could not allow Saki to be captured nor could I continue to be in charge of my body… Hence I had to entrust her to the brave passerby who came to my aid.'

She swallowed nervously as Cocona grinned mischievously at her as if she had let something slip from her admission.

'Aoto-Baka only has courage as his redeeming trait. Even if he was a random passerby that stuck his nose into another person's business without me asking him too… I cannot help but be thankful it was him. It could have been someone much worse.'

Sakia admitted with a long suffering sigh while Cocona just laughed softly as well.

'… that is another trait of him, desho? But if not for Aoto, we wouldn't be able to do the things that we did. He's an amazing person in many ways.'

'He is, despite all his flaws I am thankful to him.'

'So, do you like him?'

..

..

Unexpectedly though, Sakia did not overreact to that question and simply lapsed to a thoughtful silence for a while.

Finally though she spoke and asked Cocona the same question as well.

'Does Cocona-san, like him?'

'I like Aoto. But not in a romantic sense.'

She answered without hesitation and with full confidence in her answer that surprised Sakia with her conviction.

'I am thankful for his guidance and of course for his aid in adjusting to a new life here.'

Grinning, she eased off Sakia and led her to the showers to clean up while she continued.

'Although he seems odd, but he isn't really different from normal boys of his age. He is a very passionate person with a strong sense of justice who has the devil's luck with his side.'

Come to think about it, Aoto does share that trait with Cro too, they have devilish luck that allows them to get away with the most incredible of situations.

..

..

'I agree, Cocona-san. Aoto-baka might be insensitive and be a pervert… but he is an admirable person whose bravery has impressed me in many occasions. What you said about him is true, all of it. That is why I might like Aoto, that is all.'

She is straightforward with her feelings, that is for sure and Cocona let out a sigh of relief as the constant stream of water flowed around her neck.

'Unfortunately however, I do not believe I will ever be an object of his affection.'

Her voice seemed down but Cocona simply laughed and returned the same line she used on her.

'I remember someone telling me to be confident in myself and that one's determination will ensure nothing will stop me from finding my happiness, desho? You have a beautiful body along with your skills as a knight… there is nothing stopping you from achieving your dreams but yourself.'

She laughed along with Sakia after she said that. She has her own worries as well but she's coping well despite the stress and strain on her shoulders.

There's no advice that she can give a strong woman like that except for her to be more confident, in herself as well as her own body.

It's a good thing too as she got closer to the only other vanguard(?) in the party, a friendship that she will cherish for a long time.

..

..

'Cocona-san.'

'Yes, Sakia-san?'

'… Thank you for listening to me. I have always had my doubts about Aoto-baka and myself.'

'… Ahaha… It really wasn't listening, was it?'

Coming out of the bath, Sakia stopped Cocona before she entered her room to thank her.

'No it was not. Even so, I have to thank you in giving me the opportunity to express myself and my thoughts. I am used to speaking to myself… so it means a lot to me.'

'Mm~ If you ever need someone to talk to, my door is always open.'

Nodding to her, Cocona excused herself after Sakia asked her another question.

'Even so, Cocona-san… do you have someone that you like in a different way then?'

'Who knows… really… neh…?'

..

..

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes: I view Sakia not to be a tsundere, more of a Kuudere.. am I wrong?<strong>


End file.
